A woman who works for the Montour School District filed a lawsuit yesterday against her employer and a former school director.

Teresa DiCenzo, who is the superintendent's secretary, alleges that former school director Michael D. Steele repeatedly made sexual advances toward her and solicited sexual favors.

She said that Mr. Steele tried to use his position as a board member and chair of the personnel committee, "to influence her compensation and continued employment if she did not accept his advances."

Mr. Steele, who only served on the board for two years, stepped down last December. He was charged with three felony forgery counts and one misdemeanor count of theft by failing to make required disposition of funds.

He is accused of forging the signatures of three other school director candidates on three checks worth a total of $900 in 2005.

He is scheduled to have a non-jury trial before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kevin Sasinoski on Monday.

Yesterday, Mr. Steele called the allegations made by Ms. DiCenzo "a joke."

He blamed politics for all the troubles he's had in the district and called running for the school board "the biggest mistake" in his life.

"I'm just grateful to be away from that place," Mr. Steele said.

As part of the lawsuit, Ms. DiCenzo also claims that school administration knew of Mr. Steele's behavior but failed to take appropriate action.

Montour school solicitor Ira Weiss said he has not yet seen the complaint but that the district will defend itself. He was aware of Ms. DiCenzo formerly filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission based on the same allegations.